Stationary article turnover device

ABSTRACT

A device for overturning articles, such as brake drum castings, and the like, which travel down a vertically inclined chute, including stationarily mounted apparatus for temporarily interrupting the travel of a portion of the article while permitting the remainder of the article to swing forwardly therearound so that the momentum of the workpiece forces the article into an inverted position as it moves forwardly down the inclined chute.

ilniied @tates Patent [451 May an, 1972 Coalkes [54] STATHUNARY ARTICLE TURNUVER DEVICE [72] Inventor: William Arthur Coakes, Flint, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Simplicity Engineering Company, Durand,

Mich.

[22] Filed: May 28, 1970 211 App]. No.: 41,210

[52] U.S. Cl ..l93/43 1B [51] Int. Cl r ..B65g 11/20 [58] Field of Search ..l93/43 R, 43 A, 43 B, 43 C [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,785,862 12/1930 Flowers ..193/43 B Gleason et al 193/43 R Minobe 193/43 R Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant ExaminerJohnny D. Cherry AtI0rney-Learman, Learman & McCulloch [5 7] ABSTRACT 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented May 30, 1972 INVENTOR WILLIAM ARTHUR COAKES 40mm, llama: 7 c/l'hCutLah ATTORNEYS STATIONARY ARTICLE TURNOVER DEVICE DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Turnover devices have been proposed in the past, however, the prior art constructions proposed are complicated, expensive, and incorporate moving parts which are subject to wear and breakage. The use of moving parts necessarily places an operational limit on the rate at which the prior art apparatus may be operated.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a turnover device for brake drum castings and the like which does not utilize any moving parts.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a brake drum turnover device which is simpler and less expensive than those known in the prior art.

' It is another object of the present invention to utilize stationarily mounted parts to form a turnover device for articles moving down a vertically inclined chute.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, according to the present invention, there is provided a turnover device comprising vertically inclined support means for supporting and guiding an article as it moves in a downwardly and forwardly directed path of travel, and interrupting means in the path of travel of the article for temporari- 1y interrupting the downward movement of a portion of the article, and causing the article to swing therearound a sufficient distance so that the article overturns as the article moves forwardly and downwardly beyond the interrupting means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a turnover device formed according to the invention with a brake drum casting illustrated thereon, in chain lines, in various positions of movement;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the turnover device, taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an end elevational sectional view of the turnover device, taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, wherein only a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, the turnover apparatus, generally designated A, formed according to the invention, is supported on a frame, generally designated F, and is utilized to receive and invert brake drum castings B, supplied by a supply conveyor, or the like,C. The turnover apparatus may be positioned to deliver the inverted drums to a discharge or take-away conveyor, generally designated T of conventional construction. As shown in chain lines, the brake drums B, which are formed of cast metal, each include an enlarged circular flange portion and a pair of integrally formed and stepped, reduced diameter cylindrical portions 12 and 14. The center of mass of the casting may be considered to be at point x.

The frame F comprises a pair of front legs 16 and a pair of rear legs 18 which terminate a substantial distance above the legs 16. Mounted atop the frame F is a chute D comprising a pair of vertically inclined, longitudinally extending, L-shaped support rails 20. Depending from the rearward portions of the support rails 20 is a pair of support plates 22 removably, pivotally mounting the rails 20 on pins 26 carried by support plates 24 fixed to the posts or legs 18. A plurality of apertures (not shown) may be provided in the plates 22 enabling the rear portion of the rails 20 to be elevated if desired by merely relocating the pins 26. Depending from the forward portion of the rails 20 is another pair of mounting brackets 28 having a plurality of apertures 28a therein for removably receiving pins 30 passing through apertures 16a formed in the upper portion of the front support posts 16. With pins 30 removed, the

degree of inclination of the chute D on the support posts 16 and 18 can be quickly changed by raising or lowering the forward end thereof.

The turnover apparatus A is mounted on a pair of front mounting brackets 31 and a pair of rear mounting brackets 32 depending from the rails 20 on opposite sides of the chute D. The brackets 31 and 32 each include a plurality of pin receiving apertures 31a and 32a, respectively, therein. Front and rear cross members 34 and 36, having suitable pin receiving bores for receiving the locator support pins 35 passing through the apertures 31a and 32a, span the pairs of brackets 31 and 32, respectively. A flat plate 40 is supported on the cross members 34 and 36 in generally converging relation with the rails 20 so that the forwardmost portion 400 (FIG. I) of the plate 40 is nearer the rails 20 than the rear portion 40b thereof.

As the brake drum casting B proceeds down the chute D, the cylindrical portion 14 will be disposed below the rails 20 and the lowermost edge portion 14a of the cylindrical portion 14 will eventually engage the upper surface of support plate 40, thereby causing the portion 14 to move upwardly relative to the support rails 20 as shown at B in FIG. 1. As the portion 14 moves upwardly, the forward portion of the drum will end to pivot forwardly around the edge portion 14a as the brake drum B continues to move downwardly, the amount of pivoting depending on the physical parameters of the parts involved such as the weight and velocity of the brake drum B, and the angle of inclination of the chute D.

Mounted on the forward portion of the flat plate 40 and spanning the rails 20 is a brake drum travel interrupting cross piece member 42 which is engaged by the cylindrical portion 14 of the brake drum B as the brake drum moves downwardly on the chute D, for a purpose to be now described. During the upward movement of the portion 14, the entire brake drum B continues to move forwardly until such time as the front wall portion of the lower portion 14 of the casting engages the cross member 42 to temporarily interrupt the movement of the portion 14 while permitting the remaining portions 10 and 12 to swing around the cross piece 42 as shown at B" in FIG. I. The momentum of the brake drum B, moving down the chute D, forces the portions 10 and 12' to swing around the cross piece 42 so that the article is completely swung over into an inverted position, as shown at B, on the rails 20 downstream of the cross piece 42. The recesses 211 permit a sufficient portion of the flange 10 to clear the rails 20 so that the rails do not interfere with the turnover operation. The brake drum B" may then be discharged onto the takeaway conveyor T in the inverted position. The height of the sides of the channel shaped members 20 are increased in the area of the turnover device A, as shown at 20a, to prevent the overturning drums from being thrown over the sides of the chute D. Clearly any of the conveyors C, D, and T may be vibrated conveyors though, for the sake of convenience, I have not shown them as such. To minimize the noise which results when the castings engage the plate 40 and the cross member 42, layers of plastic material 40c and 20b, such as nylon, extend along the upper surfaces of the plate 40 and cross member 42.

It should be understood, of course, that not all brake drum castings B necessarily arrive at the turnover device A with the large flange portion 10 up and the reduced diameter cylindrical portions 12 and 14 down. Rather some of the brake drum castings B arrive in the position shown at B in FIG. I with the reduced diameter portions 12 and 14.down and some of the castings B arrive in the upright position with the reduced diameter portions 12 and 14 up.

One of the attractive features of the invention is that those castings B which are already in the upright position, that is with the reduced diameter portions 12 and 14 up, pass over the turnover apparatus A and are not turned. If castings B are delivered by the conveyor C in the upright position, no portion of the castings B will protrude below the rails 20, thus no portion of the casting will engage the support plate 40 or be interrupted by the cross member 42. Those castings B, which arrive in the position shown at B in the drawing, are turned over by the turnover apparatus A so that, as the castings are discharged onto the discharge conveyor T, all castings are correctly positioned.

it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptive matter are in all cases to be interpreted as merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, rather than limiting the same in any way, since it is contemplated that various changes may be made in various elements to achieve like results without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims I claim:

1. A turnover device comprising:

vertically inclined support means for supporting and guiding an article for movement in a downwardly and forwardly directed path of travel; means for engaging a first portion of a downwardly moving article rearwardly of the forwardmost portion of said article to move said first portion of said article upwardly relative to said support means as said article moves along; and

means, downstream of said engaging means and in the path of travel of said article, for temporarily interrupting the downward movement of a portion of said article while permitting the remainder of said article to swing therearound a sufiicient distance to force said article into an inverted position as said article moves beyond said interrupting means.

2. The turnover device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for engaging said first portion of said article is stationarily mounted,

3. The turnover device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said interrupting means is stationarily mounted.

4. The turnover device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a pair of elongated rails which are laterally spaced apart a sufficient distance to receive a portion of said article therebetween when said article moves in said path of travel.

5. The turnover device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said rails extend forwardly downwardly beyond said interrupting means; the spacing between said rails being increased immediately downstream of said interrupting means to clear the forwardmost portion of said article when it is being turned over.

6. The turnover device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for engaging said first portion comprises a flat plate disposed generally below and in converging relation with said support means.

7. The turnover device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said interrupting means comprises a cross member mounted adjacent the downstream end portion of said flat plate.

8. A turnover device comprising:

vertically inclined support means for supporting and guiding an article for movement in a downwardly and forwardly directed path of travel;

means, having an article receiving end, for moving said arti cle upwardly relative to said support means as said article moves along said support means; and

interrupting means,downstream of the receiving end of said engaging means and mounted so as to be in the path of travel of said article, for temporarily interrupting the downward movement of a portion of said article while cooperating with said means for moving said article upwardly to cause the remainder of said article to swing around said interrupting means a sufficient distance to force said article into an inverted position as said article moves beyond said interrupting means. 

1. A turnover device comprising: vertically inclined support means for supporting and guiding an article for movement in a downwardly and forwardly directed path of travel; means for engaging a first portion of a downwardly moving article rearwardly of the forwardmost portion of said article to move said first portion of said article upwardly relative to said support means as said article moves along; and means, downstream of said engaging means and in the path of travel of said article, for temporarily interrupting the downward movement of a portion of said article while permitting the remainder of said article to swing therearound a sufficient distance to force said article into an inverted position as said article moves beyond said interrupting means.
 2. The turnover device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for engaging said first portion of said article is stationarily mounted.
 3. The turnover device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said interrupting means is stationarily mounted.
 4. The turnover device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a pair of elongated rails which are laterally spaced apart a sufficient distance to receive a portion of said article therebetween when said article moves in said path of travel.
 5. The turnover device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said rails extend forwardly downwardly beyond said interrupting means; the spacing between said rails being increased immediately downstream of said interrupting means to clear the forwardmost portion of said article when it is being turned over.
 6. The turnover device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for engaging said first portion comprises a flat plate disposed generally below and in converging relation with said support means.
 7. The turnover device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said interrupting means comprises a cross member mounted adjacent the downstream end portion of said flat plate.
 8. A turnover device comprising: vertically inclined support means for supporting and guiding an article for movement in a downwardly and forwardly directed path of travel; means, having an article receiving end, for moving said article upwardly relative to said support means as said article moves along said support means; and interruPting means,downstream of the receiving end of said engaging means and mounted so as to be in the path of travel of said article, for temporarily interrupting the downward movement of a portion of said article while cooperating with said means for moving said article upwardly to cause the remainder of said article to swing around said interrupting means a sufficient distance to force said article into an inverted position as said article moves beyond said interrupting means. 